Tuesday, April 22, 2008

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (April 22,2008) – One year training project on the European integrations financed by the European Union enabled 1.200 Bosnian state employees to implement the activities related to the EU integrations processes.

As a part of this project, worth 500.000 Euros, 38 three-day courses were held.At the project’s closing conference, which was held yesterday in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo, methodology and achievements of the project were presented as well as the key conclusions for future trainings and courses.

The main goal of the project, was to offer the attendees the basic knowledge on the EU, its institutions, policies and on the current political situation in Bosnia, as well as about the EU integrations processes and the role of state institutions and administration in the processes, as well as on legal alignment and EU support.

”Almost every state official in Bosnia has undergone at least one course of the European integrations”, jakob Finci, Head of the Bosnian State Administration Agency said.

He emphasized that this is only the beginning, keeping in mind that the European integrations are a very comprehensive material. There are over 80.000 pages of regulations.

That is why the intention is that the Bosnian state employees are made completely ready for the association with the EU, once Bosnia fulfils all the conditions, Finci said.

Head of the European Commission’s Operative Sector in Bosnia Ferdinand Kopp stated that this project, which had started in April 2007, has proven to be very successful. He emphasized the importance of enabling state servants for activities in the European integrations processes.

Although this project focused solely on the European integrations, Kopp stated that in future, foreign language courses will be organized together with other necessary issues for the Bosnian state employees.

As stated, a high degree of participation in the training was made in the process. The Bosnian State Administration Agency has proven that it is capable of organizing some more demanding training programs.

Apart from this agency, entity and Brcko District agencies for administration were users of this project. The East West Consulting Company realized this project. .